Paywall
by Hawki
Summary: Oneshot: Some means of containing Chaos are less...conventional, than others.
**Paywall**

"It is done. The forces of Chaos have been contained."

"You are certain?"

"None shall be able to pass the barrier I have created."

Karl Franz let out a sigh of relief. It was not decorum that befitted the ruler of the greatest nation of the Old World, leader of the Empire, Count of Reikland and Prince of Altdorf. But sigh he did, even in the presence of the greatest mage the world had ever seen.

"In time, the barrier will fall," Teclis said. "But for now, you can concentrate on more pressing issues."

"There are some who say that Chaos is the most 'pressing issue' that exists."

"And such people are wise," the High Elf said. "Chaos will always be the greatest threat our peoples know. But that in itself does not diminish the other perils that mar our world."

And Karl Franz understood entirely. He fought the urge to shiver as a bitter breeze blew from the north. Kislev was cold even in the best of times, but the winds of the north were something else. Foul. Corrupting. Anathema to the bodies and minds of mortals.

And yet, could not the same be said of the other foes that assaulted his lands to the south? Greenskins were the bane of civilization – they lived, they bled, they died, but their society, if they could be said to possess such a thing, was anathema in itself to human notions of civilization. They destroyed what other races created. They slaughtered each other when there were no other foes to find. They had been Man's foes throughout his history. Foes of the dwarfs even longer than that. And now, once again, the Greenskins were marching west. Out of the Dark Lands of the east, into the lands of the Empire.

"You appear troubled," Teclis mused.

Karl Franz barely heard the elf, instead reflecting on the other foe that had arisen once more. The Vampire Counts. Also located to the east, also denizens of a dark land. The Vampire Counts had survived the Storm of Chaos relatively unscathed. And now, Manfred marched on the Empire once more. His fangs barred, headed for the vein of mortal lands.

"Lord Emperor?"

"Oh, I have many reasons to be troubled," the emperor said. He gave his horse a nudge – a signal to begin the trek south. For him to return to Altdorf, and Teclis to Marienburg to board a ship that would return him to Ulthuan. "But we shall endure. We always have."

Teclis said nothing. Did he understand "we" to include the High Elves, Karl Franz wondered? The dwarfs were the Empire's allies, and even now, held the Greenskins at bay. The High Elves…he could never be sure. Teclis was an ally, he was certain of that. He, who had aided Magnus the Pious two centuries ago. He, who had imparted the ways of magic to Men. And yet he understood that the High Elves had their own war to fight. A war against their kin. More scions of darkness, in a world with less and less light.

"So the barrier," the emperor said. "How does it work?"

"The barrier?" Teclis asked. "Oh, it's a simple form of magic. It is called a paywall."

"A what?"

"A paywall," Teclis said. "Conflict looms in your lands between the Empire, the dwarfs, the Greenskins, and the Vampire Counts. Chaos is as much a threat as anything, but the paywall shall keep them at bay."

"I don't understand."

"They must accumulate gold to pass through," the mage said, smiling wryly. "A bauble to most servants of the ruinous powers, a boon to those who know how to exploit it." He laughed at Karl Franz's expression. "Yes, good emperor, even I know how the world works. The forces of Chaos will get through eventually. Once they pay their weight in gold. Once the coffers of our peoples have been filled. And then, well, we'll have no doubt defeated our existing foes and be ready to face them once more, yes?"

He had used "we," Karl Franz reflected. Which was strange. He didn't know who "we" was anymore. But eventually, he spoke.

"I think you've spent too much time in Marienburg."

Teclis chuckled darkly. The wind from the north picked up. And Karl Franz sighed.

It was going to be a long ride.

* * *

 _A/N_

 _So the Warriors of Chaos faction is pre-order DLC for_ Total War: Warhammer _, despite the fact that it will be immediately available from the game's release (i.e. already exists), and is indicated as being the main threat in the game's original trailer. Granted, the time between writing this and posting this makes it a bit redundant, especially since many more people have vented their spleens and in far greater detail, but regardless, doesn't stop me from having some fun at the game's expense._


End file.
